Fuse for projectiles.



E. R. GILBERT.

FUSE FOR PRUJECTILES. ArPucAfiN msu Nov.z9. me.'

1,236,-6l2. Patented May 22, 1917.v

Y M l l r LA @www Enw'nsr n ernannte, or onrcaao, 'rqnfnn'vora l rUsE onraomcrrms,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that'IjqEnwm R. GILBERT, a

citvgen of .the 'United States, residing let Cimego,l in .the'county of Cook and'State-'of Illinols" have inventedt'a' certain lnew and `useful mprovement'in Fuses for .Projectileg of which the following is a'fulL' clear, c onl' cise, and exact description, referencejbelng' -d' to the accompanying drawings,` forming nfpart .ofthis specification. j. 4My invention relates` to certain improve-y ments in fuses for shells, etc., and has for 'its object the proyision of a firing pin which will be maintained' in unarme condition until the shell is subjected to rapid rotation whereupon the irin pin is rendered operative and permitte r when the flight of the 'projectile is suddenly j arrested,4 as when it strikes an object.

`gal arms, one

In-the preferred `form of my invention :I .provide a hammer block having mounted thereon a firing pin anda-peir of. centrifw. ositioned on. each' side of the firing pin,t e arm being so positioned andreonstruc'ted as toproject beyond the firing pin tore-.nder the rlng pin inoperaf tive whenv the hammer block is moved.v

toward the fulminating ercussion 'cap with which therinjg pin is a Vapted to 'eoperate,` before the shell is red'. Upon rotation of the Vshell andthe subjection .ofthe centrif-v ugal arms to centrifugal force the arms are arranged so that they. will .retract 4to uncover the Vfiring pin sc thataftera shellhas' `been fired from a, riledfgun the .firing pin vwill strike the cap' when moyeme'nt of 4,theV pro-w' i jectile is'arre'sted..

:jA-furtli robje'e't [provision of centrfu'galjaruis which-when' 60 firing-*pin anvfayxffrom.the.fulminating"per '4c11'sfsioI1 cap so *that* upon thesudden 'ofthe proiecilwhe-ringfpmwill have@ sucient Llnoyenrentrelativelyfto 'the'fcepforf A fu4 lier 'obfect ofzithelinventionl'ie the' `provision of means 'rfor Alockingftlne -centr if\1- 'gal arms intheir advanced `position-or 1n a. position Where theyuncover vthetiring pin" so that if for anyreason 'therotatinof theV vshell 4( iiscontinuesor le'ss'ens tofan ext ent such thatthe 'centrifugal arms will not Abe heldl out-by centrifugal' force .the locking" means will serve to retain the arms their`` retracted.pos1t1on:

subjected' -to centrifugal force WillI nieve the spammen miLattmiam'n.y Application Miei-[November 29, 1916.' eriallo.

to fulfill its `function vprojecting frwrdly vvfrom ,its rear lHating, percussion4V cap carried th tudinallylmovable s'lee'e' o1"reap"'s`u ,provided Within chamber 11 arian tain fulminatmg powder.. i lTh "0f the.'` Chamber 7, iS .frrn'ellp muniea-ting V witlrr-fthe-I1` s'paceg around-@the chamber- 8. Thispassage th@ ap relatively te befiriiig'pintauat' rm'g of the cap willv take.place These and' ot' `e with the accompanying drawings Iwherein;y

Figure 1 isa lon "tudin'al cross sectional View of the nose' cfg1 the device of my`invention- Fig. 2 is an enlarged vpian i-offthe' h ammerfbloek carrying the lfiring.pm ad the Vcentrifugal' arms;

'F1g. 3' s a cross sectionalvieurlthken'along,1

Vthe line 3-L-3fof1i`ig. 21ookingl'innthedjrectlon lndicatedby the arrowsw Theentrifu# gal arms in .this -iguref are shown 2in their normal position, that 1s, infa' positionwhere prevent its operation;

. Fig; 4 is a View simil-ata) Fig. eshowig vone' of the centrifugal arms m'oYedto its aret'racted position.; andv j f Fig. .5l-'is a View similarto Figi-@ Sliowing both' arms moved to their.' retracted .positibnand locked in such Aposition--Whereby'ithe lirlng pin may, when the hamnenblockf is. moved toward the ,percuesionjca l'irenthe similar parts throughout the sieve al Referring first to vFig. "1,6i-Ilri I casingcontaining the"el'1arn`bers "I'f'tld 8j positioned concentrically, fthe. former. above" or-inlfront of the latte'rg- Theyhaniber-Z has firing-5pm 9` arranged'fto engagez@ screw-threaded onto .the'casin ter ,remt-editiere@im.y

i l r bjts ftheinventionw 'wlmi-be' more-fully setif'folth in connection 1o they project 4beyond the firingv'pinend"thus'A4 "ing the rear Vall of mechanism just -.the following manner:

lower end of the casing 6, the plug 2.0 formthe chamber 8. The described constitutes the timing element. of the shell and operates in The percussion cap '.hol'der. 10 normallyNassu'lmes the position fired the ca 4 `relatively to the casing (l A'due to the sudden l 1o When theA illustrated in Fig. 1 so that when the shell is riolder is 'moved rearwardly forward movement of the shell. percussion cap contained by the sleeve 10 strikes the firin pin 9 the charge contained. within the chain )er 11 is ignited a1id1 tl1e ig nition carried through'the severaliannular chambers 16 down through the' passageways 17 18,' and 19 to the body of the shell. The

chambers 1G-1o of the rings 14 and 15 communicate with one another at'certain points and'sin'ce the rings 14 and 15 are movable one relatively the casing 6 the device may be adjusted so .that the ignition reaches lthe body ofthe .shell `at u, predeterminedtime interval after the shell is fired.

Thntportion of the casing G which .forms lthe 'forward end wall ot'y the chamber S supports the sleeve 21. carrying at 22 a percusskireisen arranged to ignite powder contained `ivvitlii'the receptacle 23 formed by the sleeve 21.v

dinally within the chamber 8 is a hammer 4block 23 provided'at itsforemost side with aslot' or groove '24. ,Centrally locatedwith respect to 'the the base of the-groove 24 is this pin projecting upwardly beyond the extremefront end of the hammer 'block,'as shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inelusive'. The centrifugal mechanism for controlling the operation 0f the firing pin is shown at 26 and is mounted on the hammer block inthe slot'or groove '24. centrifugal'mechanism consists of the two arms27 'and 28. one positioned on each'side `of the firing-pin i :i '912.29 to a post orstud 30.' and the arm v25? is fao' :328) are connected f'springs 33 and 34,'the tendency of the pivoted atglfto -th'e post or stud .32,.the

' s'tudsO an'flQ inthe preferred form of my 'invention being inserted into. apertures contained by the block 23 and secured 1n suchposition in anys\1itable ,nranneiz as most clearly shown in Fig. tl. The arms 2T and 'y means. ot two helical springs beingto move the arms toward each other or toward the firing pin.

'.jIn assemblingv the. device the cenrii-t'ugal Marins 27 and Q8 are placed in the position shown in Fig. 3 'and are held in such position by means of the springs 33 and Ill. The firing block is then inserted into the chamber" S. and the block Q0'serew-tln'eaded -intovphure ,Attention is called to the fact that when tie arms 27 and Z8 are in the po-V sition shown .in Fig. 3. they project outto the other and relatively to van object the haunner block moves Arranged-to move' long itnmi; If for any reasononeof 28 is moved to its retracted position it will wardly beyond the point of the firing pin '25 so that if the hammer block is moved toward the percussion cap 2:2 no ignition thereof will occur since the firing pin is not permitted to engage the cap. lVhen the shellis tired from a,rifled gun it is caused'to rotate and this rotation subjects the arms and 2S to centrifugal force which moves the arms outwardlyv against the tension of the springs and 3l to the position illustrated in Fig. 5. The movement of the .arms27 and QS`frmu the position shown in Fig?) to the' position shown in Fig. 5 places the springs I-ll and 34 on the underside lof the pivots 29 and 31 or on thev side opposite that vwhich they formerly occupied. This arrangement of' the several partsserves to lock the arms in the position shown in Fig.

5 after they have once been moved to such position. lVhen. therefore. the'shell strikes forwardly and the cap 9.2 is ignited by the tiring pin 25. The chamber 23 o f the sleeve 2.1 communicates with the passageway 35 in turn communicating with theannular chamber 18'.` This passageway is filled with powder so that 4upon 'ignition of the per cussion cap'22 the charge contained within i the body ofthe shell is ignited..

the arms Q7 and be, returned immediately since the springs 33 and 34 will, upon movement ofone of'isuch a'rms, assume a. position above the pivots of the vcentrifugal arms. The springs are moved below the pivots only when Iboth of the arms are retracted. If desired, one or a )air of helical compression springs may be interposed between the hammer block and the forward end of the chamber S so as to normallyr hold the. hammer block away from the percussion cap.A The provision of such sp1'ings, 'liowever. is `avoided when cmplmfing thejcentrifugalarms of, my invention. lVllen the arms are moved from the position illustrated in Fig. to the. luisition.illus' trated in Fig. fr the-l extreme outer ends of the arms PEG-,#36 move along the paths shownhy the dotted lines'i-I-l so that'if for anxY reasonthe hammer block assumes a position against the forward wall of the chan'iber Sthe block will be moved rearwardly due to the spreading of the arms- '2T and Q8. A

I have described and illustrated in Fig. 1` two vseparate and independent means Afor ex`-\ ploding -the shell and I have found it desirf able to emplov-hoth of these means sothat it the shell is'not ired'by the timing elen'ient it will be tired by the hammer block .Q2-l. It is. of course, understood. that the hammer block 225. together withl its percussion cap. may he used without the time ignite'r.V i

Devires of this general character employedin the past have been found to be un- 1g;

' Yreliable in that explosion of the shell did not I `alvvaystake place and the reason forfl'ln'eh ineffective `.operation has been that binding ocfjfcurs either `between the severalv parts con- 'stituting the, centrifugal means yor between the'centrifugal means andthe hammer block.

invention, nor between the centrifugal de- `)rice yand the hammer.' block.

, I Having thus described my inventionwhat I'claim as new and desire to' secure by Let- 'ters'Patent of the United States is:

'a a" firi'n 1. A fuse'for projectiles having a hammer, pin mounted thereon, and a centrifuga arm carried by the hammer and f arranged to project normally above the ir.

ing p in to prevent operation thereof and to retract below the'V ring pin ,when the hammer is rotated. l

j 2. In a fuse for projectiles the provision ofa 'casing having a chamber and a support for a percussion ,cap at the 4forward end thereof, a hammer longitudinally movable within the'chamber, Va firing pin mounted on 'the hammer and adapted to strike the percussion,cap,and a centrifugal arm normally interposed between the'firing pin and the forwardend ofth'echamber to prevent en- 'gag'ernent between'the ring pin and per- 4 r -cussion cap. and'a-rranged to retract m a d1- longitudinally movable within the chamber,

a percussion cap and ring pin therefor, one of Whichis mounted on the hammer and the other on the forward end wall of the chamber, and a centrifugal `arm normally interposed between the firing pin and the percussion cap to prevent engagement thereof andarran ed to 4retract in a direction parallel tothe irection of movement of the hammer. to permit such engagement when the casing is rotated.

4. A hammer block for projectile percussion caps comprisinga base, a firing pin mounted thereon, and a .centrifugal arm mounted on the base normally projecting above the firing pinv and adapted by centrifugalforce to retract below the pin to v uncover the rin pin.

5. Ahammer or projectiles comprlslng a block, a firing pin centrally mounted on the 3a cap, and a spring. for holding the 'arms block, a pairV of centrifugal arms pivoted to 4the block, one on each side of the firing in,'and normally projecting above the, firing pin to prevent engagement thereofwith "1n such position, sa-idf arms being arranged to retract belowthe pin against the'tension of the spring to uncover the iiringpmwhen lthe block is rotated and to centrifugal force. l

6. A hammer for projectiles comprising a block, a firing pin mounted on the block, a pair, of centrifugal arms pivoted to the block, one on each'side-of the firing pin 4and normally projecting above the firing pin to prevent engagement thereof fwitli a cap, and a spring connecting the` arms to hold them normally in' such position, said arms being arranged to retract below the pin against the' tension of the4 sprin to uncover the firing pin when the bloc is vthe arms subjected rotated and the arms subjected to centrifugal force.

7. A hammer for projectiles comprising a block, a4 firing pin mountedl on the block, aV pair of centrifugal arms pivoted to the block, one on each side of the firin in and normally projecting beyond the rlng pin to prevent engagement thereof with a cap, and a spring connecting the arms tohold them normally in such position, said arms being arranged 'to retract against the tension of the spring to uncover the ring pin when the block is rotated and the arms subjected to centrifugal force, and the parts arranged so that the spring` will upon such retraction of the arms assume. a position on the' opposite side of the pivotal connections between the arms and the block whereby the arms are locked in retracted position.

8. A hammer for projectiles-comprising a block having a slot in one of its end faces, a firing pin carried by the block and positioned in the slot, a centrifugal safety device carried vby the block and positioned rin the slot, said `device consisting of a pair ofcentrifugal arms pivoted to the block, one on' each side of the firing pin and normally projecting above the firing pin to prevent engagement thereof with a cap, and a spring for holding the arms in such position, said armsbeing arranged to retract below thepin .against the tension of the spring to uncover the firing pin when the block is .ro-

:tated and the arms subjected to centrifugal force.

9. In a fuse for projectiles the 'provision' of Va casing having a chamber, a hammer longitudinally movable withir. the chamber, a fpercussion cap and firing pin therefor, one o which. is mounted on the hammer ,and the other on the forward end wall of the chamber, and a centrifugal arm arranged when operated to move the hammer away from the said end wall of the chamber when j ectile.

of a casing having a chamber and a support for a percussion cap at the forward `end thereof, a hammer longitudinally movable within the chamber, alfiring pin mounted iso 10. VIn a fuse for projectilesthe provision on the hammer, and a centrifugal arm earl..,I niwitxrxesls whereof, I hereunto subscribe. red by the hammer arranged when operated myylnameths 24th day of November, T). to move the hammer and thus the pin away 1916. Y from the forward end of the hamber when }LD\VIN u R. GILDE iT.

5 the hammer is positioned against the said Witnesses: f

wall of the chamber uponrotation ofthe -ROBERT F. BRAQKE,

projectile. ALBIN C. A HLBERG. 

